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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · ball · rock · lie · kid · bank · branch · shower

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ball — a dance
  4. branch — a division
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kid — child
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bank — for money
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lie — to recline
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bank — of a river
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bank — for money
  24. shower — rain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com